Chenille yarn, textile product, clothing, and bedding

ABSTRACT

A chenille yarn includes a twisted yarn formed of a core yarn and a pressing yarn, in which a decorative yarn is fused and fixed between the core yarn and the pressing yarn, and the decorative yarn has a crimp having a radius of curvature of 0.5 mm or more to 5.0 mm or less.

FIELD

The present invention relates to a chenille yarn having a superiorbulkiness suitable as a stuffing material for clothing and bedding, aswell as to a textile product, clothing, and bedding.

BACKGROUND

It is not overstatement to say that a technological innovation in a newsynthetic fiber technology has been motivated by imitation of a naturalmaterial, and various technical proposals have been made to express thefunctions derived from a complex structural form of a natural material.

The Natural down is widely used, because of its excellent balance ofproperties, as a high-functionality padding in a wide range of products,including fiber bedding such as a comforter and a pillow, and clothingsuch as a winter cloth.

On the other hand, in various material forms such as felt padding,fiberballs, and filament type padding, there have also been manytechnical proposals in a synthetic fiber padding that requiresfunctionality and stable supply, which are the characteristics unique tosynthetic fibers. In order to achieve both the mechanical propertiessuch as bulkiness and compression recovery of down and a soft textureunique to down, there have been several technical proposals in the formof filament type padding that is obtained by bundling bulky processedyarns having a large loop.

However, the filament type padding having such a large loop is prone tosnag due to the interlocking of the loops between the processed yarnsthat make up the padding.

When the filament type padding is filled into a product, it is difficultto use the method in which an air is blown as in the case of the down,so in many cases, the method in which sewing is done after the filamenttype padding is arranged on a fabric in advance is used. However, whenthe padding is taken out from a packing case, a process trouble such asthread breakage is prone to occur, so that there has been a need toimprove the handling property of a bulky yarn that constitutes thefilament type padding.

As for the form of a bulky yarn that constitutes the filament typepadding to solve such problem, besides the processed yarn in which acore yarn and a sheath yarn are intertwined and fixed by a fluidprocessing, there is a chenille yarn in which the core yarn and apressing yarn are twisted together, and a decorative yarn is sandwichedbetween the core yarn and the pressing yarn.

Patent Literature 1 proposes the chenille yarn in which a yarn strip fora decorative yarn having a predetermined length is sandwiched betweenthe core yarn and the pressing yarn, and then, cutting of the yarn stripfor the decorative yarn and twisting of the core yarn with the pressingyarn are conducted; and a woven knitted fabric using this chenille yarn.However, the chenille yarn described in Patent Literature 1 was achenille yarn mainly applicable to a woven knitted fabric, so that theradius of curvature of the decorative yarn was small and the bulkinessthereof was insufficient.

Patent Literature 2 proposes a filter material obtained by cutting achenille yarn that is obtained by the method in which after a chenilleyarn is formed, a fusing component is melted out during thermal weldingto form voids, which is then followed by fluffing up twisted yarns. Thechenille yarn used in Patent Literature 2 is the chenille yarn using, ina core yarn, a pressing yarn, and a decorative yarn, the twisted yarn ofa high-melting point polyester short fiber that is blended with acore-sheath composite short fiber using a high melting point polyesteras the core yarn and a low-melting point polyester as the sheath yarn;here, the short fiber formed of the high melting point polyester thatconstitutes the twisted yarn of the chenille yarn is fluffed to ensure asuperior void property thereby enabling to efficiently capture asuspended substance in the effluent. However, the purpose of PatentLiterature 2 is the filter material in which the decorative yarn alsocontains a fusing component, and the twisted yarn is used to fluff theconstituent yarns; thus, this chenille yarn is high in density and lowin bulkiness.

Patent Literature 3 proposes the chenille yarn, in which a syntheticfiber is used as a decorative yarn to which a pigment whose color isreversibly changeable by heat, having an average particle diameter of0.1 to 30 μm with a ratio of 0.1 to 30% by weight is adhered in thestate of dispersion. Here, the color changes reversibly in the ambienttemperature range of life, and the thermal color-changing function canbe sustainably expressed even when repeated, and at the same time, thesoft texture that is unique to the chenille yarn can be retained. InPatent Literature 3, it is essential to contain the pigment whose coloris reversibly changeable by heat, and in addition, this is used as adesign yarn; thus, this chenille yarn was insufficient in the bulkinessas the stuffing material for clothing and bedding.

Patent Literature 4 proposes a chenille yarn that is obtained by a knownprocessing method using a spun yarn, which is obtained by blending nylonwith a parallel composite yarn of polypropylene and polyethylene or witha composite yarn of polypropylene and polyethylene, as the core yarn,and a nylon spun yarn, a worsted yarn, a polyacrylonitrile spun yarn, ora cotton spun yarn as the decorative yarn. Patent Literature 4 is achenille yarn that contains a certain amount of a thermally adherablecomposite fiber in order to strengthen the fixation of the decorativeyarn by fusion in order that the decorative yarn is made difficult tocome out. Because the decorative yarn is difficult to come out, thematerials that have been difficult to be used in the past can be usedfor the decorative yarn; but these are the chenille yarn used forconventional uses so that they are insufficient in bulkiness as thestuffing material for clothing and bedding.

CITATION LIST Patent Literature

-   Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No.    2018-048412-   Patent Literature 2: International Patent Application Laid-open No.    2012/077402-   Patent Literature 3: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No.    2003-278044-   Patent Literature 4: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No.    H02-014035

SUMMARY Technical Problem

According to the conventional technologies, the bulkiness required forthe use as the chenille yarn for an ornamental yarn, a mop, a mat, orthe like, can be obtained, but for the use as a stuffing material forclothing and bedding, in all of them, the density has been too high andthe bulkiness has been insufficient.

Thus, the present invention has an object to provide: a chenille yarnthat has a high bulkiness and a low density thereby making this yarn tobe usable as the stuffing material for clothing and bedding, and that isexcellent in handling properties when filling as the stuffing materialor in other occasions; and a textile product, clothing, and bedding, inwhich this yarn is used.

Solution to Problem

To solve the problem described above, a chenille yarn, a textileproduct, clothing, and bedding according to the present inventionincludes the following configurations (1) to (9).

(1) A chenille yarn including a twisted yarn formed of a core yarn and apressing yarn, in which a decorative yarn is fused and fixed between thecore yarn and the pressing yarn, and the decorative yarn has a crimphaving a radius of curvature of 0.5 mm or more to 5.0 mm or less.(2) The chenille yarn according to (1), in which the decorative yarn isa hollow cross-section fiber including a hollow portion.(3) The chenille yarn according to (1) or (2), in which the decorativeyarn is a fiber composed of a single component.(4) The chenille yarn according to any one of (1) to (3), in which adistance between points at which decorative yarns are fused and fixed is1.0 mm or more to 4.0 mm or less.(5) The chenille yarn according to any one of (1) to (4), in which alength of the decorative yarn is 20 mm or more to 40 mm or less.(6) The chenille yarn according to any one of (1) to (5), in which thechenille yarn has a bulkiness of 90 cm³/g or more.(7) A textile product including the chenille yarn according to any oneof (1) to (6).(8) Clothing including a stuffing material including the chenille yarnaccording to any one of (1) to (6).(9) Bedding including a stuffing material including the chenille yarnaccording to any one of (1) to (6).

Advantageous Effects of Invention

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide: achenille yarn that is high in bulkiness, low in density, and easy tohandle when filling as the stuffing material or in other occasions; andtextile products such as clothing and bedding using this chenille yarn.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing illustrating the composition of thechenille yarn according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing illustrating the measurement method of theradius of curvature of the decorative yarn.

FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing illustrating the distance between pointsat which the decorative yarns are fused and fixed.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically describedtogether with the preferred embodiments.

As illustrated in FIG. 1 , a chenille yarn 10 according to the presentinvention is the chenille yarn in which a decorative yarn 1 issandwiched between a core yarn 2 and a pressing yarn 3 while beingtwisted together, and the decorative yarn is fused and fixed.

Here, the chenille yarn 10 is the processed yarn formed by sandwichingthe decorative yarn 1 between the core yarn 2 and the pressing yarn 3while being twisted together.

The core yarn 2 and the pressing yarn 3 in the present invention may beformed of the same yarn or different yarns. For example, when the sameyarn is used for both the core yarn 2 and the pressing yarn 3, in thepresent invention, any one of them is the core yarn 2 and the other isthe pressing yarn 3. The core yarn 2 and the pressing yarn 3 each may bea combination of multiple yarns.

In the present invention, the decorative yarn 1 is fused and fixedbetween the core yarn 2 and the pressing yarn 3. Here, the decorativeyarn may be fused and fixed by the method using any one or both of thecore yarn 2 and the pressing yarn 3 that is/are fusible, or usinganother fusing yarn 4 together with the core yarn 2 and the pressingyarn 3 when both the core yard 2 and the pressing yarn 3 are notfusible, as illustrated in FIG. 1 .

In some parts of the specification of the present invention, whendescribing the composition of the chenille yarn 10, the state in whichthe core yarn 2, the pressing yarn 3, and the fusing yarn 4 are twistedtogether is described as the core yarn.

It is preferable that the core yarn 2, the pressing yarn 3, and thedecorative yarn 1, which constitute the chenille yarn according to thepresent invention, be composed of a synthetic fiber.

The synthetic fiber is the fiber formed of a polymer; here, a fiberproduced by melt spinning or solution spinning of a thermoplasticpolymer may be used. A single fiber that constitutes the synthetic fibermay be either a fiber composed of a single component, or a compositefiber in which two or more polymers are arranged in the cross-section ofthe fiber.

Illustrative examples of the thermoplastic polymer that constitutes thesynthetic fiber include melt-moldable polymers such as polyethyleneterephthalate or a copolymer thereof, polyethylene naphthalate,polybutylene terephthalate, polytrimethylene terephthalate,polypropylene, polyolefins, polycarbonates, polyacrylates, polyamides,polylactic acid, and thermoplastic polyurethane. Among thesethermoplastic polymers, polycondensation polymers such as polyester andpolyamide are preferable because these are crystalline and haverelatively high melting points, thereby allowing the bulky yarns to beresistant to deterioration or to fatigue even when they are heated at arelatively high temperature in a heat-treatment process such as inpost-processing or in an actual use (for example, cleaning). From aviewpoint of the heat resistance, the melting point of the thermoplasticpolymer is preferably 165° C. or higher.

These thermoplastic polymers may contain various additives such as aninorganic substance including a titanium dioxide, a silica, a bariumoxide, a carbon black, a colorant such as a dye and a pigment, a flameretardant, a fluorescent whitening agent, an antioxidant, and a UVabsorber, the amount of these being to the extent not impairing theadvantageous effects of the present invention.

As for the core yarn 2 and the pressing yarn 3 to be used in thechenille yarn 10 according to the present invention, a polymer having asuperior tensile strength is preferable in order to make the chenilleyarn easy to be handled, such as to prevent thread breakage fromoccurring when this is taken out from a bobbin or a packing bag uponfilling into a textile product, which is the filling body. Illustrativeexamples of the thermoplastic polymer having a superior tensile strengthinclude polyethylene terephthalate and polyamides such as nylon 6, nylon66, and nylon 610. In addition to the tensile strength, from a viewpointof providing flexibility as the chenille yarn, polyamide is morepreferable, while nylon 66 is still more preferable from a viewpoint ofheat resistance upon fusing and fixing the decorative yarn.

As for the decorative yarn 1 to be used in the chenille yarn 10according to the present invention, it is preferable to use a fiberhaving a superior rigidity in order to have a sufficient bulkiness asthe stuffing for clothing, bedding, and the like. Polyesters includingpolyethylene terephthalate are more preferable as the material by whichrigidity can be easily obtained, while polyethylene terephthalate isstill more preferable from a viewpoint of a heat resistance, similarlyto the core yarn and the pressing yarns.

In the chenille yarn 10 according to the present invention, thecross-section of the synthetic fiber used for the core yarn 2, thepressing yarn 3, and the decorative yarn 1 may have any shape.Illustrative examples thereof include a round type, a triangular type, across-like type, a Y type, a polyphyllous type, a flat type, a multifintype, and those having a hollow portion. The synthetic fiber may be asingle component fiber formed of a single polymer or a composite fiberformed of two or more polymers.

In particular, as for the decorative yarn 1 to be used in the presentinvention, from a viewpoint to ensure the bulkiness, the shape thereofis preferably the one that can increase the volume per fineness; thus,it is preferable that the fiber have a hollow portion in thecross-section that is perpendicular to the fiber length direction andthat the hollow portion be continuous in the fiber length direction. Theshape of the cross-section of the fiber having the hollow portion may becircular; and from a viewpoint of fine fineness, i.e., a light weightand easy to increase a volume, the fiber having the hollow portion withthe cross-section shape of a Y type, a polyphyllous type, a flat type, amultifin type, or the like is preferable.

In order to increase the bulkiness of the chenille yarn 10, when usingthe hollow cross-section fiber containing the hollow portion as thedecorative yarn 1, it is preferable to use a synthetic fiber formed of asingle component fiber. As going to be discussed below, the radius ofcurvature, which indicates the degree of crimp of the decorative yarn 1,is important to increase the bulkiness. The fiber composed of a singlecomponent is preferable not only from the viewpoint of increasing thefiber rigidity as mentioned above, but also because it is easier toadjust the radius of curvature by the spinning conditions such as thetemperature of a cooling air and an air velocity as well as by the heattreatment conditions at the time of heat-treatment of the chenille yarn.

In the chenille yarn 10 according to the present invention, thedecorative yarn 1 is fused and fixed between the core yarn 2 and thepressing yarn 3. When the chenille yarn 10 is woven, knitted, or thelike in accordance with the product form in advance, this prevents thecoming out of the decorative yarn 1 from occurring and improves not onlythe easiness in taking out of the chenille yarn 10 upon filling into atextile product as the stuffing material, but also the handling propertyof the chenille yarn 10.

As for the core yarn 2 and the pressing yarn 3, when the core yarn 2 isfusible or the pressing yarn 3 is fusible, it is necessary that theyremain in the chenille yarn 10 as the core yarn 2 or as the pressingyarn 3 even after fusion-fixation, and that they sandwich the decorativeyarn 1; thus, it is preferable to use a core-sheath composite fiber inwhich the core is composed of a high melting point component and thesheath is composed of a low melting point component. When the core yarn2 and the pressing yarn 3 do not contain a fusible component, it ispreferable to feed the fusing yarn 4 to a twisting machine along withany one or both of the core yarn 2 and the pressing yarn 3. In thiscase, illustrative examples of the preferable fusing yarn 4 include asingle-component fusing yarn consisting of the afore-mentionedcore-sheath composite fiber, a polyester-based low melting-pointpolymer, and a polyamide-based low melting-point polymer. In order toincrease the strength in the adhesive fixation of the decorative yarn 1,a single-component fusing yarn 4 consisting only of a fusible componentis more preferable. In order to ensure the bulkiness of the chenilleyarn 10 as in the case of the present invention, it is preferable toavoid excessive shrinkage of the decorative yarn 1 itself; thus, thefusing yarn that can achieve fusion-fixation at a low temperature and ina short time is preferable. From this viewpoint, a single-componentfusing yarn 4 formed of a polyamide-based polymer having a low meltingpoint is still more preferable.

It is preferable that the decorative yarn 1 in the chenille yarn 10according to the present invention have a crimp and be at leastpartially open.

This crimp indicates that the decorative yarn 1 has a spiral structure;thus, the fiber having a spiral structure, similarly to a spring, has arecovery and repulsion force to an elongation deformation and to acompression deformation. This structure makes it easy for the decorativeyarn 1 to repel to each other also between the single fibers of thedecorative yarn 1 thereby facilitating to open each single fiber, andthereby the tips of the decorative yarn 1 tend to flutter to alldirections in the transverse plane that is perpendicular to thelongitudinal direction of the chenille yarn 10. This increases theexcluded volume as the chenille yarn 10 thereby leading to increase inthe bulkiness when used as the stuffing material.

The decorative yarn 1 is a multifilament, and it is preferable to usethe multifilament having the filament number of 2 or more to 300 orless. It is more preferable that the filament number of the decorativeyarn 1 be 4 or more to 100 or less. Within this range, the decorativeyarn 1 having the crimp does not overlap excessively and is moderatelyintertwined with the core yarn 2 under the open state between the singlefibers, resulting in a superior bulkiness and a moderate resilienceagainst compression. To facilitate opening between the single fibers ofthe decorative yarn 1, it is more preferable that the filament number ofthe decorative yarn 1 be 8 or more to 50 or less.

The single fiber fineness in the decorative yarn 1 is preferably 0.01dtex or more to 20 dtex or less. It is more preferable that the singlefiber fineness in the decorative yarn 1 be 1 dtex or more to 15 dtex orless. Within this range, a superior bulkiness, a moderate resilienceagainst compression, and a soft tactile feel will be resulted. From thisviewpoint, it is still more preferable that the single fiber fineness inthe decorative yarn 1 be 2 dtex or more to 8 dtex or less.

When used as the stuffing material to be filled in a textile product,from a viewpoint of suppressing the fatigue, the bundled yarn of thechenille yarns 10 according to the present invention is preferable,because this can express an excellent tactile feel due to the resilienceof the chenille yarn 10 according to the present invention, and becausethe decorative yarn 1 recovers like a spring even when the compressionrecovery is repeated.

In the present invention, the radius of curvature, which indicates themagnitude of the crimp of the decorative yarn 1, is preferably in therange of 0.5 mm or more to 5.0 mm or less.

The radius of curvature of the decorative yarn 1 is more preferably 0.8mm or more to 4.0 mm or less. When the radius of curvature is withinthis range, the yarn can exhibit a sufficient bulkiness and have amoderate resilience against compression. From this viewpoint, the radiusof curvature of the decorative yarn 1 is still more preferably 1.0 mm ormore to 3.0 mm or less.

The radius of curvature here is the one that is evaluated using an imagethat is two-dimensionally observed by a digital microscope or the like;and this is the radius of the curvature formed by the single fiber thatconstitutes the decorative yarn 1 having the spiral structure asillustrated in FIG. 2 . Specifically, at 10 randomly selected locationsin the longitudinal direction of the chenille yarn 10, 10 or more singlefibers that constitute each decorative yarn 1 are collected, and eachsingle fiber is observed using a digital microscope with a magnificationthat allows confirmation of the crimp morphology. Using this observationimage, the radius of curvature of the decorative yarn 1 can be obtainedby measuring the radius of the curved portion formed by the single fiberhaving the spiral structure.

To increase the bulkiness of the chenille yarn 10 according to thepresent invention, as mentioned before, the fiber having the hollowportion in the fiber cross-section is preferably used as the decorativeyarn 1. By asymmetric cooling during spinning, the fiber having thehollow portion described above can readily generate the difference inthe fiber orientation due to the cooling difference in the single fibercross-section, so that the fiber having an obviously recognizable crimpcan be readily obtained even with a single component. In this case, theobvious crimp is a loose crimp with the order of several mm to severaltens of mm as the below-described radius of curvature; so, at the timeof chenille processing, the single fibers of the decorative yarn 1 canreadily open to each other due to the loose crimp form. When thechenille yarn is further crimped by heat treatment to bring the radiusof curvature, which indicates the magnitude of the crimp of thedecorative yarn 1, into the range of 0.5 mm or more to 5.0 mm or less,the bulkiness of the final chenille yarn 10 can be effectivelyincreased.

The crimp obtained by such asymmetric cooling can be controlled asappropriate especially by changing the cooling conditions immediatelyafter ejection at the time of spinning and the drawing ratio.

As for the control of the cooling air velocity, which is one of thecooling conditions, for example, in the case when the spinning iscarried out under the condition of the spinning rate of 1000 to 2000m/min using a 12-holes spinneret for a hollow fiber, it is preferablethat the cooling air whose temperature adjusted at 20° C. is blown fromone side at the air velocity of 20 to 100 m/min for cooling andsolidification. Increasing the air velocity makes the ejected yarn stripmore prone to swaying, which can cause a decrease in the operationalstability; so, the air velocity is preferably in the range of 25 to 80m/min, while more preferably in the range of 30 to 70 m/min.

The cooling air temperature, the fiber diameter immediately afterejection at the time of spinning, the number of spun filaments, thearrangements of the spinneret and the ejection holes, etc., all affectthe way how the cooling air hits each single fiber as well as thedifference in the cooling speeds at the surface receiving the coolingair and the opposite surface; thus, the proper cooling air velocitycondition is also variable with these conditions. Therefore, forexample, in the case of a large number of filaments, it readily causesuneven cooling in each single fiber, and the radius of curvature thereoftends to increase in the single fiber that is insufficient in cooling;thus, it is preferable to set the air velocity faster. On the otherhand, in the case of a smaller number of the filament, it is preferableto set the cooling air velocity slower because the radius of curvaturetends to decrease due to a higher cooling efficiency. With regard to theraw yarn that has been rolled up after spinning and drawing, it ispreferable to control as appropriate the cooling conditions withconfirming the crimp morphology by conducting a heat treatment testunder the desired conditions assuming the heat treatment of the chenilleyarn.

In the chenille yarn 10 according to the present invention, it ispreferable that the distance between points at which the decorativeyarns 1 sandwiched between the core yarn 2 and the pressing yarn 3 arefused and fixed be 1.0 mm or more to 4.0 mm or less. When the distancebetween the decorative yarns 1 is within the above range, withoutexcessive overlapping, the decorative yarn having the crimp ismoderately entangled with the core yarn 2 under the open state betweenthe single fibers, thereby allowing the tips of the decorative yarn 1 toprotrude more in the circumferential direction in the cross-section ofthe chenille yarn 10. When the chenille yarn 10 according to the presentinvention is used as the bundle of the decorative yarn 1, thisarrangement allows the chenille yarn 10 to repel against the adjacentchenille yarn 10 to all directions in the yarn cross-section, therebyleading to increase in the bulkiness as the stuffing material or thelike.

From this viewpoint, the distance between the points at which thedecorative yarns 1 are fused and fixed is more preferably in the rangeof 1.3 mm or more to 3.5 mm or less, while still more preferably in therange of 1.5 mm or more to 3.0 mm or less.

As can be seen in FIG. 3 , the decorative yarn 1 that is entangled withthe core yarn 2 in the chenille yarn 10 is unraveled followed by turningthis toward perpendicular to the core yarn 2, then, the observation isconducted with the magnification with which the distance between thepoints at which the decorative yarns 1 are fused and fixed is observableusing a digital microscope or the like at least two points where thedecorative yarn 1 is sandwiched between the core yarn 2 and the pressingyarn 3. Using this observation image, the distance between the twopoints is measured from the center of the fused point of one decorativeyarn 1 to the center of the fused point of the other decorative yarn 1to confirm the distance between these points.

In the chenille yarn 10 according to the present invention, the lengthof the decorative yarn 1 is preferably 20 mm or more to 40 mm or less.

The length of the decorative yarn 1 within the above-described rangeallows the crimped decorative yarn 1 to be moderately entangled with thecore yarn 2 and to be arranged such that the tips of the decorative yarn1 may flatter to all directions in the chenille yarn cross-section.

From the viewpoint of good balance with the degree of crimp of thedecorative yarn 1 and in order to effectively contribute to the increasein the bulkiness, the length of the decorative yarn 1 is more preferably25 mm or more to 35 mm or less, while still more preferably 27 mm ormore to 33 mm or less.

Similarly to the case of confirming the distance between the points atwhich the decorative yarns 1 are fused and fixed, the length of thedecorative yarn 1 can be confirmed in such a way that the decorativeyarn 1 that is entangled with the core yarn 2 in the chenille yarn 10 isunraveled followed by turning this toward perpendicular to the core yarn2, and the decorative yarn 1 is stretched and fixed, and then, thelength of the decorative yarn 1 is measured.

In the chenille yarn 10 according to the present invention, thebulkiness is preferably 90 cm³/g or more.

When the bulkiness of the chenille yarn 10 is 90 cm³/g or more, that is,the yarn is high in bulkiness and low in density, thereby also having anexcellent recovery from deformation, this can be suitably used as thestuffing material and the like. The higher the bulkiness, the greaterthe amount of the air that can be taken in as the stuffing material, andthus, the better the heat retention can be ensured. From this viewpoint,the bulkiness of the chenille yarn 10 is more preferably 150 cm³/g ormore, while still more preferably 200 cm³/g or more. The actual upperlimit of the bulkiness in the processed yarn such as in the form of thechenille yarn 10 according to the present invention, is about 300 cm³/g.

With regard to the bulkiness of the chenille yarn, 10 g of the chenilleyarn is weighed into a container placed on an electronic balance; then,the chenille yarn thus weighed is put in a cylindrical container havingan inner diameter of 15 cm, and a circular plate whose mass has beenadjusted to 0.15 g/cm² relative to the cross-sectional area inside thecylinder is placed on the chenille yarn, and after this is allowed to beleft for 1 minute, the height of the chenille yarn (L0) is measured.From this height, the volume of the chenille yarn per unit mass(=bulkiness) was calculated by the following equation.

Bulkiness(cm³/g)=cross-sectional area of cylinder×L0/mass of chenilleyarn

The chenille yarn 10 according to the present invention has a superiorhandling property when taking out the product form upon filling this asthe stuffing material. Here, in order to achieve the superior handling,among the mechanical properties in the chenille yarn 10, especially thetensile strength is important. From a viewpoint that the chenille 10 maybe handled without breaking even if there is some snagging, the tensilestrength is preferably 100 cN or more, more preferably 300 cN or more,while still more preferably 500 cN or more.

The tensile strength is higher the better, but an excessively hightensile strength reduces elongation; so, when this is used as thestuffing material for clothing and bedding, the tactile feel of the coreyarn 2 in the chenille yarn 10 becomes more eminent so that a discomfortdue to a foreign body in the filling may be felt. Therefore, the actualupper limit of the tensile strength is preferably 1000 cN as the rangein which the chenille yarn 10 can be handled stably without affectingits tactile feel as the stuffing material.

The tensile strength here is the strength at the time of breaking uponevaluating in accordance with the standard time test method for thetensile strength described in JIS L1013: 2010.

The chenille yarn 10 according to the present invention may be producedusing a chenille yarn twisting machine that has been known in the past.For example, the chenille yarn twisting machine as described in JapanesePatent Application Laid-open No. S53-6642 may be used.

The decorative yarn 1 is fed to the flyer section of the chenille yarntwisting machine, and the core yarn 2 and the pressing yarn 3 are fedfrom two directions with the fusing yarn 4 being fed along with one ofthe core yarn 2 and the pressing yarn 3.

The chenille yarn 10 according to the present invention has thecharacteristic that the decorative yarn 1 is long in order to expressthe bulkiness; thus, the decorative yarn 1 is fed more as compared withthe core yarn 2 and the pressing yarn 3. The ratio of the feeding speedof the core yarn 2, or the pressing yarn 3, to the decorative yarn 1(core yarn:decorative yarn) is preferably 1:3 or more. This feedingspeed ratio is controlled by each feeding roll of the chenille twistingmachine. The feeding speed ratio of the core yarn 2, or the pressingyarn 3, to the decorative yarn 1 is more preferably 1:5 or more; fromthe viewpoint of efficiently producing the bulky chenille yarn withoutsignificant reduction in the production speed, the ratio is still morepreferable 1:10 or more.

After having been rolled up around the guide piece, the decorative yarn1 is divided into two portions by the cutter arranged in the bottom ofthe guide piece; then, the two separated decorative yarns 1 each aresandwiched between the core yarn 2 and the pressing yarn 3, and they arerolled up while being twisted to each other.

Here, in order to make the distance between the decorative yarns 1 eachof which is sandwiched between the core yarn 2 and the pressing yarn 3in the range of 1.0 mm or more to 4.0 mm or less, the feeding speeds ofthe core yarn 2, of the pressing yarn 3, and of the decorative yarn 1,as well as the number of the twist and the rolling-up speed, these beingset by the rotation number of the rolling-up spindle, are controlled asappropriate.

In order to make the length of the decorative yarn 1 to 20 mm or more to40 mm or less, the cutting position is controlled as appropriate byadjusting the width of the lower end of the guide piece and the heightof the installed cutter.

Next, the rolled-up chenille yarn is heat-treated to fuse the fusingyarn 4 thereby fusing and fixing the decorative yarn 1 between the coreyarn 2 and the pressing yarn 3.

The chenille yarn 10 that has been chenille-processed is rolled up to askein by a skein winder with a predetermined mass, and multiple skeinsare hooked onto the bars of a transport cart equipped with theskein-hooking bars. The transport cart is placed in a pressurizedsteam-heating furnace, for example, heated at 98° C. for 10 minutes orlonger (steam pressure of approx. 0.07 MPa), or put into a dryheat-treatment furnace for the dry heat-treatment to melt the fusingyarn 4 thereby fusing and fixing the decorative yarn 1 between the coreyarn 2 and the pressing yarn 3.

The heat treatment temperature and time may be controlled so as toachieve the desired fusion and fixation state of the decorative yarn 1;so, these are controlled as appropriate in accordance with the fusiblecomponent to be used such that the fusible component can be sufficientlymelted thereby penetrating into the core yarn 2. Here, in order to avoidan excessive shrinkage of the decorative yarn 1 upon producing thechenille yarn 10 according to the present invention, the heat treatmenttemperature is preferably 200° C. or lower, more preferably 150° C. orlower, while still more preferably 120° C. or lower.

The untreated chenille yarn that are rolled up to the skein is subjectedto the pressurized steam treatment while being hooked to the bar; so,the heavier the weight of the skein, the more easily the chenille yarn 1is crushed in the hooking part. Therefore, the amount of the rolledskein is preferably 400 g or less. When the amount of the chenille yarnthat is rolled up to the skein is set to 400 g or less, the puffyfeeling of the decorative yarn 1 in the hooked part can be maintainedeven when the weight of the skein is added by the pressurized steamtreatment, thereby allowing to obtain a satisfactory bulkiness. Theamount of the rolled skein is more preferably 300 g or less, while stillmore preferably 200 g or less.

The chenille yarn 10 according to the present invention may be used in avariety of forms, such as a skein obtained by heat processing, a packageobtained by rolling-back of this, a yarn bundle formed by drawingmultiple yarns together, a cut fiber, and a woven and knitted fabric; inaddition, this may also be made to various textile products.Illustrative examples of the textile product include general clothing,sportswear, materials for clothing, a comforter and a mattress, beddingsuch as a thin blanket, a sleeping bag, interior products such as acarpet, a sofa, and a curtain, and vehicle interiors such as a car seat.Among these, the use as the stuffing material for clothing and beddingis preferable.

In particular, the chenille yarn 10 according to the present inventionis excellent in the taking-out property during filling and in thehandling property during weaving and knitting process yet having anexcellent bulkiness; in addition, this may be used as a bundle ofseveral to several tens of yarns, or as the stuffing material afterhaving been woven and knitted in advance. The chenille yarn 10 accordingto the present invention can also be used in conjunction with otherpadding materials that can be used for the stuffing material; thus, itis possible to make the stuffing material also having the features ofthe material other than the chenille yarn 10 according to the presentinvention.

EXAMPLES

Hereinafter, with referring to the following Examples, the chenille yarnaccording to the present invention as well as the advantageous effectsthereof will be specifically described.

In Examples and Comparative Examples, the following evaluations wereperformed.

A. Fineness

The mass of 100 m of the fiber was measured, and this was multiplied by100 to calculate the fineness. This was repeated 10 times, and thesimple average value, rounded to the second decimal place, was used asthe fiber fineness (dtex).

B. Radius of Curvature of Decorative Yarn

The decorative yarn entangled with the core yarn was unraveled so as tomake the point pinched by the core yarn to a visible state, and thesingle fibers constituting the decorative yarn were collected by cuttingat about 1 mm from the point pinched by the core yarn. Ten single fiberswere collected from each of 10 randomly selected locations in thelongitudinal direction of the chenille yarn, and each single fiber wasobserved using the VHX-6000 microscope manufactured by Keyence Corp.with a magnification that allowed observation of the crimp morphology;then, by using the observed image thus obtained, the radius of thecurvature formed by the fiber having a spiral structure was measured.The radius of curvatures of a total 100 yarns were measured, and thesimple average thereof, rounded to the second decimal place, was used asthe radius of curvature of the decorative yarn (mm).

C. Distance Between Points at which Decorative Yarns are Fused and Fixed

The chenille yarn was attached to a black paper, and the decorative yarnentangled with the core yarn was unraveled and turned to a directionperpendicular to the core yarn, and then, the sample was prepared suchthat the point where the decorative yarn was sandwiched between the coreyarn and the pressing yarn could be observed. This sample was observedusing the VHX-6000 microscope manufactured by Keyence Corp. with themagnification of 50 times to measure the distance between the decorativeyarn fixation points adjacent to each other. This was repeated at 10locations, and the simple average value, rounded to the second decimalplace, was used as the distance (mm) between the points at which thedecorative yarns are fused and fixed.

D. Length of Decorative Yarn

The chenille yarn was attached to a black paper, and the decorative yarnentangled with the core yarn was unraveled and stretched to a directionperpendicular to the core yarn, and then fixed. The length of thedecorative yarn was measured. This was repeated at 10 locations, and thesimple average value, rounded to the first decimal place, was used asthe length of the decorative yarn (mm).

E. Bulkiness

The chenille yarn (10 g) was weighed in the container put on anelectronic balance. The chenille yarn thus weighed was placed in acylindrical container having an inner diameter of 15 cm, and a circularplate whose mass had been adjusted to 0.15 g/cm² relative to thecross-sectional area inside the cylinder was placed on the chenilleyarn. Then, after this is allowed to be left for 1 minute, the height ofthe chenille yarn was measured and read to the first decimal place toobtain L0 as the height of the chenille yarn. From this height, thevolume of the chenille yarn per unit mass (=bulkiness) was calculatedfrom the following equation as an integer value by rounding off thefirst decimal place.

Bulkiness(cm³/g)=cross-sectional area of cylinder×L0/mass of chenilleyarn

Example 1

One nylon 66 fiber (trade name “PROMILAN” 44T-34f manufactured by TorayIndustries, Inc.) was used as both the core yarn and the pressing yarn,and a polyamide-based fusing yarn (copolymerized polyamide fiber; tradename “Elder” 22T-10f) was used as the fusing yarn.

Also, after polyethylene terephthalate (PET: IV value=0.6 dl/g,crystallization temperature=150° C.) was melted at 290° C., this wasmeasured by a gear pump, fed into a spinning pack, and ejected throughthe hollow cross-section ejection hole having three slits (0.1 mm wide)that were concentrically arranged. A cooling air with the temperature of20° C. was blown to the ejected yarn strip from one side thereof at theflow rate of 30 m/min to cool and solidify the ejected yarn, and thenthe undrawn yarn was rolled up with a spinning oil at the spinning rateof 1500 m/min. Subsequently, the polyethylene terephthalate hollow fiber(40 T-12f, 30% hollow content) that was obtained by drawing therolled-up undrawn yarn between the rollers heated at 90° C. and 140° C.with the drawing rate of 800 m/min was used as the decorative yarn.

Using a conventional chenille yarn twisting machine, the decorative yarnwas fed to the flyer section thereof, and the pressing yarn attachedwith the fusing yarn and the core yarn were fed from two directions withthe feeding speed ratio of 1:13, the ratio of the feeding speed of thecore yarn and of the pressing yarn to the feeding speed of thedecorative yarn. The decorative yarn was rolled up around a guide piecewhose lower end width was 30 mm, the decorative yarn was cut with acutter, and the decorative yarn was sandwiched between the core yarn andthe pressing yarn, and twisted such that the number of the twist per 1meter was made 250 turns (T/m), and then, this was rolled up by aspindle.

Next, every 200 g of the chenille yarn was rolled up to a skein using askein winder, and the skein was hooked onto the bar of the transportcart equipped with the skein-hooking bar, and then, this was placed in apressurized steam-heating furnace whereby carrying out the pressurizedsteam treatment (steam pressure of approximately 0.07 MPa) at 98° C. for20 minutes to melt the fusing yarn to obtain the chenille yarn havingthe decorative yarn fused and fixed.

The obtained chenille yarn was cut to 1 m length, its mass was measured,and the mass was multiplied by 10000 to calculate the fineness. The samemeasurement was repeated 10 times and the simple average value wasrounded off to the first decimal place. The fineness of the chenilleyarn thus obtained was 1765 dtex.

In Example 1, the radius of curvature of the decorative yarn was 1.7 mmand the distance between the points at which the decorative yarns werefused and fixed was 2.1 mm. The decorative yarn was moderately entangledwith the core yarn with the single fibers being open to each other, andthe tips of the decorative yarn were visible in almost allcircumferential directions in the chenille yarn cross-section.

The chenille yarn had a bulkiness of 203 cm³/g; so, this had a superiorbulkiness. The chenille yarn was soft to a tactile feel when a bundle of10 chenille yarns thus formed was held by hands and was also good in thedeformation recovery, allowing this to be suitably used as the stuffingmaterial for clothing and bedding. The results are described in Table 1.

Example 2

In the hollow fiber formed of polyethylene terephthalate used for thedecorative yarn, the ejection rate at the time of spinning was changedto provide 80T-12f. The chenille yarn was obtained in the same way as inExample 1, except that the feeding speed of the decorative yarn waschanged such that the chenille yarn fineness might match with that ofExample 1. The chenille yarn thus obtained had the fineness of 1774dtex.

In Example 2, although the radius of curvature of the decorative yarnwas 2.4 mm, the crimp state relative to the fiber diameter was moresignificant than in Example 1, because the single fiber fineness waslarge.

The bulkiness was 176 cm³/g, so that the bulkiness was good. The tactilefeel was a little bit hard when a bundle of 10 chenille yarns thusformed was held by hands, and the repulsion was strong, but this wasgood enough for the use as the stuffing material. The results aredescribed in Table 1.

Example 3

Polyethylene terephthalate fiber of a multifin type (trade name: “Octa”44T-12f, manufactured by Teijin Ltd.) was used as the decorative yarn.The chenille yarn was obtained in the same way as in Example 1, exceptthat the feeding speed of the decorative yarn was changed such that thechenille yarn fineness might match with that of Example 1. The chenilleyarn thus obtained had the fineness of 1745 dtex.

In Example 3, the radius of curvature of the decorative yarn was 1.2 mm,and the distance between the points at which the decorative yarns werefused and fixed was 1.9 mm. Similarly to Example 1, the decorative yarnwas moderately entangled with the core yarn with the single fibers beingopen to each other, and the tips of the decorative yarn were visible inalmost all circumferential directions in the chenille yarncross-section.

The chenille yarn had a bulkiness of 211 cm³/g; so, this had a superiorbulkiness. The chenille yarn was very soft in a tactile feel when abundle of 10 chenille yarns thus formed was held by hands, and was alsogood in the deformation recovery, allowing this to be suitably used asthe stuffing material for clothing and bedding. The results aredescribed in Table 1.

Examples 4 and 5

The chenille yarn was obtained using the same yarn composition asExample 1 and in the same way as in Example 1, except that in the hollowfiber formed of polyethylene terephthalate used for the decorative yarn,the cooling air velocity under the ejection during spinning was changedsuch that the degree of crimp after the heat treatment might become asdescribed in Table 1.

In Example 4, the cooling air velocity during spinning was set to 80m/min so as to obtain a finer crimp. Here, the radius of curvature ofthe decorative yarn was 1.0 mm, and the decorative yarn was moderatelyentangled with the core yarn, but there were some portions where thesingle fibers of the decorative yarn were entangled to each other andbunched together. The chenille yarn thus obtained had the fineness of1760 dtex.

The bulkiness of Example 4 was 145 cm³/g. When a bundle of 10 chenilleyarns thus formed was held by hands, there were some portions where thetactile feel was a little bit hard, but this was good enough for the useas the stuffing material. The results are described in Table 1.

In Example 5, the crimp was increased by setting the cooling airvelocity to 20 m/min during spinning; as a result, the radius ofcurvature of the decorative yarn was 4.8 mm, and the entanglement of thedecorative yarn with the core yarn was less as compared with Example 1.Therefore, unevenness was observed in the directions to which the tipsof the decorative yarn protruded. The chenille yarn thus obtained hadthe fineness of 1768 dtex.

The bulkiness of Example 5 was 110 cm³/g. When a bundle of 10 chenilleyarns thus formed were held by hands, there was unevenness in thetactile feel, but the overall tactile feel was soft; so, this was goodenough for the use as the stuffing material. The results are describedin Table 1.

TABLE 1 Example 1 Example 2 Example 3 Example 4 Example 5 Core yarnPolymer N66 N66 N66 N66 N66 Fiber (Fineness-Filament 44T-34f 44T-34f44T-34f 44T-34f 44T-34f number) Pressing Polymer N66 N66 N66 N66 N66yarn Fiber (Fineness-Filament 44T-34f 44T-34f 44T-34f 44T-34f 44T-34fnumber) Fusing yarn Polymer Copolymer Copolymer Copolymer CopolymerCopolymer Ny Ny Ny Ny Ny Fiber (Fineness-Filament 22T-10f 22T-10f22T-10f 22T-10f 22T-10f number) Decorative Polymer PET PET PET PET PETyarn Cross-section shape Hollow Hollow Multifin Hollow Hollow hollowFiber (Fineness-Filament 40T-12f 80T-12f 44T-12f 40T-12f 40T-12f number)Chenille Processing rate m/min 3 3 3 3 3 processing Guide piece lengthmm 30 30 30 30 30 Number of twist T/m 250 250 250 250 250 Heat-treatment— 98° C. × 98° C. × 98° C. × 98° C. × 98° C. × condition 20 min 20 min20 min 20 min 20 min Chenille Radius of mm 1.7 2.4 1.2 1.0 4.8 yarncurvature of character- decorative yarn istics Distance between mm 2.12.9 1.9 1.8 1.7 points at which decorative yarns are fused and fixedLength of mm 32 31 32 28 33 decorative yarn Bulkiness cm³/g 203 176 211145 110

Comparative Example 1

After polyethylene terephthalate (PET: IV value=0.6 dl/g,crystallization temperature=150° C.) was melted at 290° C. and weighed,this was fed into a spinning pack and ejected from a spinneret havingthe ejection holes with the aperture ϕ of 0.30 mm arrangedconcentrically. A cooling air with the temperature of 20° C. was blownto the ejected yarn strip from one side thereof at the flow rate of 15m/min to cool and solidify the ejected yarn, and then, after the undrawnyarn was attached with a spinning oil, this was rolled up at thespinning rate of 1500 m/min. The chenille yarn was obtained in the sameway as Example 1, except that the solid fiber (40T-12f, roundcross-section) obtained by drawing the rolled-up undrawn yarn betweenthe rollers heated at 90° C. and 140° C. with the drawing rate of 800m/min was used as the decorative yarn. The chenille yarn thus obtainedhad the fineness of 1766 dtex.

In the chenille yarn of Comparative Example 1, the decorative yarn wasstraight without the crimp (the radius of curvature in Table 2 isdescribed 50.0 mm or more) and was not twined around the core yarn, sothat the chenille yarn had a flat cross-section.

The length of the decorative yarn was 30 mm, but the bulkiness was low,as it was 51 cm³/g. Even when a plurality of the chenille yarns was madea bundle, the puffy feeling was hardly perceptible; so, this wasinsufficient for the use as the stuffing material. The results aredescribed in Table 2.

Comparative Example 2

Polytrimethylene terephthalate (3GT: IV value=1.2 dl/g) as A polymer anda low-viscosity polyethylene terephthalate (PET: IV value=0.5 dl/g) as Bpolymer were prepared; and then, after melted at 280° C. and weighed,they were flowed into a spinning pack equipped with a compositespinneret, and ejected so as to form a side-by-side compositecross-section consisting of A polymer and B polymer (polymer compositeratio: A polymer/B polymer=50/50). A cooling air with the temperature of20° C. was blown to the ejected yarn strip from one side thereof at theflow rate of 20 m/min to cool and solidify the ejected yarn, and then,after the undrawn yarn was attached with a spinning oil, this was rolledup at the spinning rate of 1500 m/min. The rolled-up undrawn yarn wasdrawn between the rollers heated at 90° C. and 140° C. with the drawingrate of 800 m/min to obtain the 3GT/PET side-by-side composite fiber(75T-24f). By using this fiber as the decorative yarn, the chenille yarnwas obtained in the same way as in Example 1, except that the feedingspeed of the decorative yarn was changed such that the chenille yarnfineness might match with that of Example 1. The chenille yarn thusobtained had the fineness of 1770 dtex.

The chenille yarn in Comparative Example 2 had a very fine crimp having0.2 mm (average measured value of 0.16 mm) as the radius of curvature ofthe decorative yarn. In addition, the opening between the single fibersof the decorative yarn was insufficient, and there were some portionswhere the decorative yarn was not present in the core yarn axialdirection of the chenille yarn, resulting in uneven arrangement of thedecorative yarn.

The length of the decorative yarn was 22 mm, but the bulkiness thereofwas low, as it was 82 cm³/g. When a bundle of a plurality of thechenille yarns thus formed was held by hands, there was no puffy feelingin the tactile feel; so, this was insufficient for the use as thestuffing material. The results are described in Table 2.

Example 6

The chenille yarn was obtained in the same way as in Example 1, exceptthat the width of the lower end of the guide piece to which thedecorative yarn was rolled-up was changed as described in Table 2. Thechenille yarn thus obtained had the fineness of 1761 dtex.

In Example 6, the width of the lower end of the guide piece was 20 mm,and the length of the decorative yarn was 19 mm. Although the decorativeyarn was entangled with the core yarn, the length thereof was a littlebit short; thus, there were also some portions where the number of thedecorative yarn twined around the core yarn in the longitudinaldirection of the core yarn was small.

The bulkiness of Example 6 was 96 cm³/g. When a bundle of 10 chenilleyarns thus formed was held by hands, there were some portions where thetactile feel was a little bit hard and lacked the puffing feeling a bit,but this was good enough for the use as the stuffing material. Theresults are described in Table 2.

Example 7

The chenille yarn was obtained in the same way as in Example 1, exceptthat the number of the twist upon twisting the chenille yarn was changedas described in Table 2. The chenille yarn thus obtained had thefineness of 1765 dtex.

In Example 7, the number of the twist was set to 350 T/m. The distancebetween the points at which the decorative yarns were fused and fixedwas 0.9 mm, and the density of the decorative yarn was a little bithigh, and there were observed some portions where the single fibers ofthe decorative yarn were entangled with each other and bundled.

The bulkiness of Example 7 was 91 cm³/g. When a bundle of 10 chenilleyarns thus formed was held by hands, there were some portions where thetactile feel was a little bit hard, and this lacked a puffing feeling abit, but this was good enough for the use as the stuffing material. Theresults are described in Table 2.

Comparative Example 3

After polyethylene terephthalate (PET: IV value=0.6 dl/g) was melted at290° C. and measured by a gear pump, this was fed into a spinning packand ejected through the hollow cross-section ejection holes having threeslits (0.1 mm wide) that were concentrically arranged. A cooling airwith the temperature of 20° C. was blown to the ejected yarn strip fromone side thereof at the flow rate of 10 m/min to cool and solidify theejected yarn, and then the undrawn yarn was rolled up with a spinningoil at the spinning rate of 1500 m/min. Subsequently, the chenille yarnwas obtained in the same way as Example 1, except that the polyethyleneterephthalate hollow fiber (40 T-12f, 27% hollow content) that wasobtained by drawing the rolled-up undrawn yarn between the rollersheated at 90° C. and 140° C. with the drawing rate of 800 m/min was usedas the decorative yarn. The chenille yarn thus obtained had the finenessof 1769 dtex.

The chenille yarn in Comparative Example 3 had a loose crimp having 10.5mm as the radius of curvature of the decorative yarn, resulting in anearly straightly protruding form as the decorative yarn of the chenilleyarn. In addition, the opening between the single fibers of thedecorative yarn was insufficient, and there were some portions where thedecorative yarn was not present in the core yarn axial direction of thechenille yarn, resulting in uneven arrangement of the decorative yarn.

The length of the decorative yarn was 32 mm, but the bulkiness thereofwas low, as it was 75 cm³/g. When a bundle of a plurality of thechenille yarns thus formed was held by hands, there was no puffy feelingin the tactile feel; so, this was insufficient for the use as thestuffing material. The results are described in Table 2.

TABLE 2 Comparative Comparative Comparative Example 1 Example 2 Example6 Example 7 Example 3 Core yarn Polymer N66 N66 N66 N66 N66 Fiber(Fineness-Filament 44T-34f 44T-34f 44T-34f 44T-34f 44T-34f number)Pressing Polymer N66 N66 N66 N66 N66 yarn Fiber (Fineness-Filament44T-34f 44T-34f 44T-34f 44T-34f 44T-34f number) Fusing yarn PolymerCopolymer Copolymer Copolymer Copolymer Copolymer Ny Ny Ny Ny Ny Fiber(Fineness-Filament 22T-10f 22T-10f 22T-10f 22T-10f 22T-10f number)Decorative Polymer PET 3GT/PET PET PET PET yarn Cross-section shapeSolid Side-by- Hollow Hollow Hollow side Fiber (Fineness-Filament40T-12f 75T-24f 40T-12f 40T-12f 40T-12f number) Chenille Processing ratem/min 3 3 3 3 3 processing Guide piece length mm 30 30 30 30 30 Numberof twist T/m 250 250 250 350 250 Heat-treatment — 98° C. × 98° C. × 98°C. × 98° C. × 98° C. × condition 20 min 20 min 20 min 20 min 20 minChenille Radius of mm 50.0 or 0.2 1.6 1.7 10.5 yarn curvature of morecharacter- decorative yarn istics Distance between mm 2.3 1.6 2.0 0.92.5 points at which decorative yarns are fused and fixed Length of mm 3022 19 31 32 decorative yarn Bulkiness cm³/g 51 82 96 91 75

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

-   -   1 Decorative yarn    -   2 Core yarn    -   3 Pressing yarn    -   4 Fusing yarn    -   5 Distance between points at which decorative yarns are fused        and fixed

1. A chenille yarn comprising a twisted yarn formed of a core yarn and apressing yarn, wherein a decorative yarn is fused and fixed between thecore yarn and the pressing yarn, and the decorative yarn has a crimphaving a radius of curvature of 0.5 mm or more to 5.0 mm or less.
 2. Thechenille yarn according to claim 1, wherein the decorative yarn is ahollow cross-section fiber including a hollow portion.
 3. The chenilleyarn according to claim 1, wherein the decorative yarn is a fibercomposed of a single component.
 4. The chenille yarn according to claim1, wherein a distance between points at which decorative yarns are fusedand fixed is 1.0 mm or more to 4.0 mm or less.
 5. The chenille yarnaccording to claim 1, wherein a length of the decorative yarn is 20 mmor more to 40 mm or less.
 6. The chenille yarn according to claim 1,wherein the chenille yarn has a bulkiness of 90 cm³/g or more.
 7. Atextile product comprising the chenille yarn according to claim
 1. 8.Clothing comprising a stuffing material including the chenille yarnaccording to claim
 1. 9. Bedding comprising a stuffing materialincluding the chenille yarn according to claim 1.